Posted 7 years ago
artfoot
(367 items)
Maybe if I had described this first as a lamp base it might have made a difference. I purchased it as a lamp. My suspicions about it being Japanese glass were raised by the removable light fixture that is marked "Mitsu Boshi". I figured that alone was not enough to assure my suspicion but in research I found this piece with very similar handles and base - http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,21048.0.html
The data is piling up. I suspect not just Japanese but specifically Toshichi Iwata glass. At least that's my argument.
To answer another question - the rim is cut but that is likely to accommodate the light fixture.
The shade is not original to the lamp.
A note about the workings of the fixture - it is a three-position pull-chain switch that operates as top light only, bottom light only, and off.
It's certainly a very Japanese thing to do, light the base.
I asked about the rim because Japanese glass is very very rarely cut to the rim. They are almost fanatical about flame finishing it, as you will see on the piece you linked to. I understand that it would probably be cut to take that light fitting.
The handles are very Japanese, as is that fine white internal casing, and pre war the Japanese followed Czech glass in particular.
The base finish is typical of Japan as they developed. They don't like a snapped pontil mark much, and the shape is very traditional.
You've got me thinking so much now I have moved to thinking it is Japanese! Thanks for the interesting post Artfoot.
BTW - I have big doubts about that blue vase being a Toshi Iwata, no matter what Corning said!
Thanks again racer. I am more curious than knowledgeable about Japanese glass and hope that interest and research will continue to develop. As for the attribution, I'll let you and Corning fight that one out - I'm too far away from them to be able to check their files and I'd never heard of Iwata before.
To update this post a little - I now agree with racer4four that Corning is wrong and this is not Iwata. I'm still thinking pre-WWII Japanese but, so far, little information has surfaced about the manufacturers.